Professional Documents
Culture Documents
4145-Article Text-12987-2-10-20130617 PDF
4145-Article Text-12987-2-10-20130617 PDF
Abstract
Research problem has been identified as how to improve HRM practices in the companies of
Azerbaijan. The main aim of this paper is to analyse Human Resource Management practices of
Azerbaijan companies. HRM departments accomplish several functions to reach goals identified by
the company. In this paper job analyses, recruitment, training and development, performance
appraisal and compensation administration are chosen among of these functions. This analysis has
been carried out with the questionnaire method. The developed questionnaire was intended for
HRM managers of the companies (114 companies). Research reveals that almost 70% of national
companies have completed job analyses. Recruitment and selection practices in national companies
in Azerbaijan testify that companies preferably use internal sources in employee’s recruitment
while in selection of employees companies widely apply job interview methods. There are lots of
problems with analysing training needs, training and evaluation practices. There were few
evidences or low level percentage in applying of modern assessment methods of employee
performances. Applied compensation system has not been critically examined yet. All evidences of
the research in the framework of above mentioned human resource management functions collected
in this paper develop general description which make possible using efficient methods.
The type of the article: Research report.
Keywords: recruitment, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation.
JEL Classification: M12.
1. Introduction
The application of Human Resource Management is different in every country because every
country's economic, social, political and cultural factors, which affect the application of HRM, are
different (Brewster, 1993). The concepts, approaches and applications in the field of HRM which
were once alleged to be universal and were commonly agreed on have become controversial today
in terms of suitability and applicability. Studies show that different human resource management
models are affected by the different features of the countries in which they are applied and they
become different from one another as well. This denotes that human resource management needs
investigating on the country scale. Although this issue has been highlighted by a number of authors,
we can see that the research is not at the appropriate level.
As known, every administrative application is affected by cultural and economic conditions in
which it is involved and at the same time affects them themselves. As in many business
applications, HRM practices are also new in Azerbaijan, which gained its independence on October
18th, 1991 and which is living a transition period from socialism to capitalism. The adaptation
process of transforming economies to the market conditions requires a certain period of time. In
order to change the types of business and their methods and to conform to the new environment,
they need to evaluate the micro, macro (national) and international conditions inside it. When it
comes to HRM practices, it is very obvious that a country which was formally governed by central
planning system will face hardships changing into the concept of competition. In order to overcome
this problem, analisys should be done at the national level and then there should be made some
arrangements to make the transition go smoothly.
165
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
In this context, the research problem has been identified in terms of the way of improving
HRM practices in the companies of Azerbaijan. The aim of this study is to determine the overall
appearance of HRM practices in Azerbaijan on the basis of functions and to investigate the factors
that cause this situation to exist.
Theoretical Background
The logic of investigating HRM practices at the national level is to direct us to comparative
research in HRM. The aim of comparative research in HRM is to try to understand and explain
differences in HRM practices in different countries (Brewster, 2007).
Comparative studies of HRM started to make improvements after 1975. Murray et al. (1975)
somehow laid the foundation of comparative HRM’s studies with the article “A Framework for
Comparative Analysis of Personnel Management”. The aim of the research, which is trying to
provide a framework which is able to comparatively analyse Personnel Management Applications,
is to systematically analyse the impact of cultural differences on HRM policies and practices and to
indicate why it is necessary to revaluate or to completely reject “the best American practice” in
various cultures.
The idea that there is not a universal model of HRM became more strengthened with the
Piepers (1990) "Human Resource Management: International Comparison” work and the
importance of comparative HRM studies became more evident. In his research, collecting HRM
models of developed western industrial countries and non-developed eastern countries, the author
emphasizes major differences between these models.
Begin (1992) developed a system perspective for analysing comparative HRM. In his works
on comparative HRM, the author tried to provide a framework to explain different changes and to
draw the basic outline of HRM system. In the following years Boxall’s work (1995) named "The
Building of the Theory of Comparative Human Resource Management” provided a major
contribution to the literature on comparative HRM. In his work Boxall emphasizes that the
international HRM and comparative HRM activities should be separated from each other and tries
to explain how to implement different HRM functions in different countries.
Brewster (1993, 1995) has provided a major contribution to the comparative and international
literature both with Grandfield and his studies on European HRM. With his work named
“Developing European Model of HRM”, Brewster states that organizational autonomy in Europe is
not the same as in American firms and it has a very different influence.
When we are analysing the literature of comparative HRM we can see that different authors
emphasize different factors. However, the common emphasis by all authors is that HRM practices
are different in various countries.
Different businesses operate in different countries with different economic conditions,
educational level and dexterity of labour, different legal, social and political context, (Harris et al.,
2003). Moreover, over the years studies show that international companies along with the work on
global approach give importance to each country’s specific local approach. If we compare the
management of human resources with a dress, it is possible to say that no company has a ready one.
Each company has a different body structure and accordingly a need for a specific operation
(Seljuklu, 2005).
After the HRM functions, which are due to be dealt with in the research, are defined, instead
of giving deeper information about each of the functions, there have been done literature scanning
on what ought to be done in each enterprise concerning these functions. These functions and the
information about them are as follows.
Job analysis
When relevant literature is studied, we can see that one of he most important factors
concerning job analysis is to properly understand and apply the process of job analysis. On the first
stage of this process it is crucial to define all the different types of work which are in the
166
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
organization. For this reason, salaries, organization schemes and former job descriptions should be
investigated; there can be received some information from managers if necessary (Can vd.
2001:52). The solution to the issue of which method (observing, interviewing and survey) of
collecting information, which is to be used in job analysis, is more efficient depends on factors like
job features and the level of the required information for analysis. Most of the time several methods
are used together (Bilgin, 2007: 33). The most essential thing that enterprises need to do concerning
the job analysis is to convert the information that is gathered at the end of the job analysis into job
descriptions and duties. Using a number of specific and standard techniques, job analysts change the
information they have gathered into job duties and job descriptions and in this way they reveal the
qualities of personnel that they need to have for their jobs and the features of jobs
(www.ikyworld.com). As a result of this process there should be made tables for job descriptions
and job duties in enterprises. (Bilgin, 2007: 39).
167
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
Performance Appraisal
Performance appraisal contains the work on the definition of a person‘s efficiency and the
level of success in one subject. (Ertürk, 2011: 165). Here, the point that needs to be paid attention to
is the fact that performance appraisal is not routine work and not restricted with only measuring an
employee‘s performance at a definite time. Performance appraisal begins with planning a
performance, continues with its observation, and on the next stage the performance is appraised and
the process ends with rewarding/punishment. (Grote, 2002: 2).
There are a number of performance appraisal methods aiming to determine employees‘
performance level. Some of these methods are conventional ways of performance appraisals which
were formerly used. And others are modern methods which were developed after the determination
of incomplete aspects of traditional methods (www.hr.oregon.edu).
Performance appraisal is a hard and energy consuming process. The main reasons affecting
performance appraisal are lack of imagination, lack of management, lack of participation, lack of
support, lack of information, lack of communication between management and employees, unequal
and unfair implementations and managers‘ inefficient time management. The elements affecting the
performance appraisal negatively should be reduced as much as possible.
Commission Management
On one hand commissions are an element defining employees‘ income and living standard
and on the other hand they are of multilateral importance like elements that make a big influence on
the industry, distribution of national income among different economic classes and the rating of
social justice in the society. For this reason, commissions are one of the topics, which is mostly
discussed by employees, employers and syndicates (Yıldız ve Balaban, 2006: 131).
A commission consists of two parts: the main commission and the applied commission.
Except for additional profits, such as rewards, bonus, social aids which are given to employees, the
rest of the commission is the main commission. Thus, the main commission is the money which is
paid to an employee by the employer for doing the work (service). All the profits that employees
earn beside the main commission according to the law or an agreement contain the applied
commission attached to the main commission. As examples for the applied commission can be
given rewards, bonuses, commissions etc. The payment can be defined in different ways. There
have been considered various systems in work legislation concerning how the commission should
be determined and calculated. (Demircioğlu, 2003: 56 ).
The commission should be organized not only in terms of covering people‘s physiological and
biological needs, but also in terms of their psychological expectations. The commission should not
be only for keeping employees in companies, it should also play an important role in involving
highly-qualified specialists to companies. At the same time, the determination of the amount of
commissions in accordance with positions will prevent the personnel from being perceived
differently, in other words, prevent them from being unsatisfied and will provide their motivation.
(Sabuncuoğlu, 2000: 214).
There may be drawn wrong conclusions while analyzing the commission implementations of
enterprises or while comparing them with other enterprises if the picture is not assessed as a whole,
that is if all the elements are not taken into account. For this reason, in commission projects the
estimation of commission components as a whole and the determination of how important these
components are for different employee groups at present and for what they aim to use the
components are an essential stage. (www.sunakademi.com). The commission management is a
basic human resources obligation which needs to be planned and implemented from the strategic
point of view. (Bilgin, 2007: 179).
2. Method of Research
The information on HRM practices was collected by Granet scale which is prepared by taking
the organizational factors of Brewster model into account and which is used in Granfield
168
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
International research. The scope of the study contains the companies operating in Azerbaijan’s
capital Baku. The surveys in these enterprises were applied by e-mail and face-to-face interview
methods. 293 questionnaires have been sent via e-mail to firms which are on the list of Baku
International Society of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen (TUSIAB) and the Azerbaijan-
Turkey Businessmen Association (ATIB) and the HRM department managers are asked to answer
these questionnaires. HRM managers of 75 enterprises out of 293 enterprises participated in the
study by answering the questionnaire by e-mail method. Considering that this number is not enough
and the enterprises on this list are generally established by foreign capital and they can barely
represent the enterprises in Azerbaijan, HRM managers of enterprises in Baku, especially the ones
operating in financial sector, which have been established by the local capital, have been requested
to make an appointment. Although more HRM managers gave a positive response to the
appointment, only 41 HRM managers participated in the study by answering the questionnaire. The
total number of enterprises that has taken part in the study with questionnaires has been 116.
Average and standard deviation values were calculated with SPSS 17.0 software program and they
were subjected to regression and factor analysis.
3. Results of Research
Results related to HRM department and practices
While estimating all the data related to HRM departments in all enterprises in Azerbaijan, it
was found out that 75% of them have HRM departments. In more than 50% of enterprises the
department concerning HR is called HRM. The vast majority of business (71.6%) has 1-4
employees in HR departments. Top managers responsible for HR are preferred to be chosen from
HRM departments or hired from specialized outsources. HRM functions discussed within the study
model are implemented in more than 60 % of the enterprises in Azerbaijan. But compared to the
enterprises established by foreign capital, the percentage of the application of business functions is
lower than in the enterprises established by local capital. At the same time when we make the same
comparison between small-scale and large-scale enterprises, we can see that the rate of
implementation of HRM functions is more in large-scale enterprises.
One of the most important results which the application of job analysis needs to reach is job
descriptions. The objectives of asking questions as “in your business all the sections have right
(ideal) number of workers” and “every worker’s duties, powers and responsibilities are defined
clearly” were to determine from another viewpoint if the enterprises applying job analysis really
apply it and to also determine if the results of job analysis are turned into job descriptions and
169
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
applied properly. As it can be seen in Table 1, the average percentage of HRM managers of the
surveyed enterprises who confirmed the expression “In your business all the sections have the right
(ideal) number of employees” has emerged with the low-level arithmetic average of 3.21. Standard
deviation values are too high which shows that there is homogeneity in this tendency. This result
reveals the fact that HRM managers in all enterprises in Azerbaijan neither confirmed nor denied
the expression “In your business all the sections have right (ideal) number of workers”. The average
for the expression “Everyone’s duties, powers and responsibilities are defined in your business” has
emerged as 2.13, which is very low.
Table 3. The methods used for stuffing from outside sources in Azerbaijani firms
Mid-level Lower-tier
Managers
Sources worker worker
(%)
(%) (%)
A. Newspaper advertisement 20.6 46.6 32.8
B. Internet advertisement 5.2 31.0 63.8
C. University graduates 33.6 42.3 24.1
D. Social networks (friends, relatives advises) 71.6 16.3 12.1
Results show that newspaper advertisements are mostly used in mid-level workers stuffing.
Internet advertisements are commonly (over 90%) used in mid-level and lower-tier workers
stuffing. Mostly firms benefit from university graduates on stuffing of mid-level employees. This
result shows the need of enterprises in Azerbaijan for highly-educated employees. From the results
we can see that social networks are very important in choosing managers. These results again show
the importance of job analysis. Job analysis gives a manager all details about work. And these
details can be used in stuffing process. At the same time social networks are not important in
stuffing of lower-tier workers.
After studying stuffing practices, selection practices were evaluated. Results show that
selection of employees is largely conducted by exams. At the same time interviews are used mostly.
Another main result in the table was that the selection is mostly conducted by general directors.
Only a little part of workers is selected by commissions. Of course, acceptance or rejection of
employees by a general manager is normal, but if general directors mingle to the selecting process,
it is the worst to think about this process.
170
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
171
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
The regression equation training and development practices were as the dependent variable and
the independent variables were training planning, implementation and evaluation of trainings. The
rate of the description of the model established in the table is at the level of (F) 0.05, which is a
significant and satisfactory level. The significance of the model (R2) was realized at the level of 0.329.
With the results of regression analysis, it was clear that the efficiency of training and
development practices depends on training implementation and evaluation process. We can say that
firms which want to implement effective training and development practices have to choose the
right methods of training.
172
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
As shown in the table, Azerbaijan firms prefer to use more classic methods than 360 degree
and team-based methods. One of the main points of performance appraisal practice is using its
results correctly. The situation about using performance appraisal systems outputs in Azerbaijan
firms are shown in Table 7.
Significantly lower mean values of the results of performance evaluation reveals are not used
effectively.
As it can be seen in Table 9, the arithmetic mean value of the sum of Azerbaijan enterprises
has emerged as 3.10, which a moderate level. These results demonstrate the moderate level of
effectiveness of compensation management. The fact that the standard deviation value is not very
high (.84) shows a homogeneous trend in the distribution.
173
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
References
Brewster, C. (1993). Developing a “European” Model of Human Resource Management. The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, 4 (4), pp. 765-784.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585199300000057
Brewster, C. (1995). Towards a European Model of Human Resource Management. Journal of International
Business Studies, Vol. 26, 1–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490163
Brewster, C. (2007). Comparative HRM: European Views and Perspectives. The International Journal of
Human Resource Management, 18 (5), pp. 769- 787. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585190701248182
Begin, P. J. (1992). Comparative Human Resource Management: a Systems Perspective. The International
Journal of Human Resource Management, 3:3, pp. 379-408.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585199200000156
Boxall, P. (1995). Building The Theory of Comparative HRM. Human Resource Management Journal, Vol
5, Issue 5, pp.5-17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-8583.1995.tb00386.x
Bilgin, L., Taşçı, D., Kağnicioğlu, D., Benligiray, S. ve Z. Tonus (2007). Human Resources Management
(İnsan Kaynakları Yönetimi), T.C. Anadolu Üniversitesi Yayını No:1747, Eskişehir.
174
Ragif Gasimov, Natig Gurbanov HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN AZERBAIJAN
COMPANIES: EVALUATING ON FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
Can, H., Akgün, A. ve Ş. Kavuncubaşı (2001). Human Resources Management in State and Private sectors
(Kamu ve Özel Kesimde İnsan Kaynakları Yönetimi), Siyasal Kitabevi, Ankara.
Murray, V.V., Jain, C.H. & Adams, J.R. (1975). A Framework for the Comparative Analysis of Personnel
Administration. The Academy of Management Review 1, pp. 47-57.
Pieper, R. (1990). Human Resource Management: An International Comparison, de Grouter, Berlin.
Harris, H., Brewster, C. & Sparrow, P. (2003). International Human Resource Management, CIPD
Publishing.
Grote, D. (2002). The Performance Appraisal Question and Answer Book: A Survival Guide For Managers,
Amacom Boks, U.S.A.
Seljuklu, H. (2005). Human Resource Management in Turkey, http://www.inisiyatif.net/document/22.asp.
Yıldız, G. ve Balaban Ö. (2006). Work Appraisal and Compensation Management (İş Değerleme ve Ücret
Yönetimi), Sakarya Book House, Sakarya.
175